Actor Sam Neill and AFR political editor Laura Tingle start dating

In the interests of discouraging our colleagues from hating us more than they already do, we do generally refrain from sharing juicy gossip about their romantic pairings. But sometimes, we simply can't resist.

And so we reveal our political editor's Laura Tingle's latest beau, who is none other than Kiwi actor-cum-winemaker Sam Neill, famous for his rolesin Jurassic Park, The Piano and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It's understood Tingle met Neill through mutual friends late last year, and the pair of them have been seen out and about during January. Including by this column at Potts Point's Fratelli Paradiso last Thursday with actors Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward.

The couple don't appear to have been papped together yet, but surely it's only a matter of time ...